Catonsville Unplugged
Raising Connected Kids in a Disconnected World
A Community Pledge for Healthier Childhoods
Child-development experts recommend delaying smartphones until at least age 14 and social media until at least age 16.
The Catonsville Unplugged pledge helps families follow this guidance—together.
This is a community-wide effort to change the default around childhood, technology, and independence so no family has to do it alone.
What This Pledge Is
The Catonsville Unplugged pledge is a simple, collective commitment to:
-
Delay smartphones until high school (or age 14+), in line with expert guidance
-
Postpone social media until age 16 or later, as recommended by child-development experts
-
Encourage real-world play, independence, and responsibility
-
Model healthy tech habits as parents and caregivers
-
Spread the word to other parents in your neighborhoods, schools, and communities
By taking the pledge, families send a shared message: our kids’ mental health and freedom matter more than constant connectivity.
When many families choose this path together, no one child feels left out or “behind.”
Why This Has to Be Collective
Most parents already understand the risks of early smartphones and social media. What’s hard isn’t the decision—it’s being the only one making it.
Kids don’t struggle because families wait.They struggle when only one family waits.
When a community agrees on the same age guidelines:
-
Waiting becomes normal
-
Kids keep their social belonging
-
Parents gain support instead of pressure
This is what people mean when they say it takes a village.
Why Experts Recommend Waiting
Over the past decade, anxiety, depression, and loneliness among children and teens have risen to historic highs. The U.S. Surgeon General has called it a youth mental health national crisis.
Researchers consistently point to two major contributors:
-
Fewer opportunities for independence and unstructured play
-
Early exposure to smartphones and social media replacing real-world connection
Studies link early smartphone and social media use with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Kids who spend more time online report feeling less confident, more isolated, and less able to handle everyday challenges.
Our Vision for Catonsville
We envision a community where childhood is grounded in the real world—not dominated by screens.
A Catonsville where kids:
-
Spend less time on phones and more time outdoors
-
Walk to the park, ride bikes, and play freely with friends
-
Develop independence, responsibility, and problem-solving skills
-
Build confidence and resilience through real-life experiences
-
Use technology intentionally and later
By keeping screens limited and delaying smartphones and social media, we give kids the space they need to grow socially, emotionally, and developmentally—before constant digital connection enters the picture.
It only takes one community to lead the way.
